


A Few Small Things

by myth_love29



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fix-It, Happy Ending, Just fixing the little things that bugged me, Multiple Different Endings, Non-Chronological, Out of Order Scenes, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Fix-It, lots of italics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-03-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:34:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22095700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myth_love29/pseuds/myth_love29
Summary: "Dad..." he whispered, a slight tremble escaping his lips."I know," his father replied, holding his son's cheek, as though he was truly there, just like that terrible night so long ago."Ben." Another voice, just to his left but he couldn't bear to look away from his father, knowing that if he did, he'd never see him again."Ben.Your mother is speaking to you."Finished for now. Additional chapters may be added in the future.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22





	1. A Dyad in the Force

"No, nonononononono, Ben, Ben, you can't, you said I wasn't alone. Please don't leave me alone."

But there was no heartbeat beneath her palm, no rise and fall of his chest, and worst of all, not even an echo in the Force that was Ben Solo.

He was gone. He sacrificed himself _for her_. If she tried the same with him, would she die again? Would it be pointless?

Everything felt pointless in this moment. 

Her sobs echoed in the vast chambers of the Emperor's throne room. Her cries rocked her body against his still frame. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't see. She couldn't hear anything but her own despair. 

Would she forever be surrounded by death?

The death of her parents. The death of her hopes. Her dreams. Her wishes.

Her love.

"I'm sorry, Ben," Rey managed to whisper out. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry Han. I'm sorry Luke. I'm sorry Leia. _I'm sorry._ I should've just stayed on Jakku. None of this would've happened if I had never left."

"Uhhh..."

Her eyes snapped open and her gasp stuck in the back of her throat.

No. _No._ The Force wouldn't be this cruel. Would it? Had it not taken enough from her?

But - there! His chest - it moved! He was breathing.

Oh kriff. Oh stars. Oh Force. Oh shit shit shit shit shit shit.

_Please be true._

She kept her arm around his neck but sat up enough to look down at his face, her left fist braced against his heart.

There! A beat. Another breath. The tiniest whisper of a groan.

Using whatever strength she had remaining, Rey pulled Ben up to their previous sitting position.

_Open your eyes. Open your eyes. Please open your eyes._

Another groan, louder this time.

"Ben?" She pleaded, her voice small and shaky.

She pulled him closer. Or perhaps she pushed herself closer. She wasn't sure but she didn't care.

His eyelids flickered and then...they opened. His dark eyes searched their surroundings, confused, of course, before landing on her.

The relief she felt was intense, tortuous almost.

"Ben?"

"Rey."

His heart was beating. His chest rose and fell. And there, the presence of Ben Solo, back in the Force.

He was _back_. He returned. 

Her arms were taut around his neck, just as his were secure around her torso. She never realized how _large_ he was compared to her. He engulfed her, yet instead of feeling trapped, she felt safe. Protected. Soothed.

Whole.

"How? How is this possible? Ben, I - I felt you _leave_. You were _gone_." Her question was muffled by his neck.

They weren't letting go anytime soon.

"Mom."

Alright. Maybe she was letting go. But only enough to meet his eyes. 

They were different. So different from Kylo Ren's eyes. Once there was misery, pain, heartache. Fear.

Now, his dark gaze was hopeful, a sadness lingered though.

"Leia? She brought you back? How?"

"The same way I brought you back. A transfer of Force energy. A complete transfer."

He studied her up and down, taking in every particle of her, from the tip of her dust covered boots to the grime that dirtied her once white clothing to the flyaways that stuck to her sweaty forehead. He slid his hand upward from where it cupped the back of her neck to her miraculously intact buns.

"My mother's handiwork."

Was he seriously talking about her hair right now?

"I saw her. Mom. In the in-between. She was waiting for me." Unchecked tears streamed down his face. Rey placed her palm atop his cheek, lightly brushing them away with her thumb. "She took my hands. She hugged me. The last time she hugged me was before I went to train with Luke. She told me she loved me."

Ben sobbed, just as she had. She attempted a smile for him, a comfort of some kind, but she doubted he could see it.

"She said she was proud of me. She took my hands again and told me goodbye. I watched her...as she...as she...." 

He couldn't finish. 

"She gave her life so you could live," Rey concluded for him. "She gave you a second chance." 

Leia had done for her son what any mother would for her child.

His embrace was fierce and demanding. Every part of him pressed to every part of her, their breathing and heartbeats in tandem. She could feel their bond again, growing in strength, a comfort she didn't know she needed. Rey had always thought their bond a curse at the worst of times and an annoyance at the best. But now, in the arms of Ben Solo, with his face buried in the side of her neck, she found the bottomless ache that had formed in her soul with his passing was filling up.

With warmth. With light. With hope. With love.

The darkness of years past, of nightmares and abuse, all of it was blowing away to nothing.

Neither knew how long they sat in the dust but it didn't matter. Until her knees started throbbing. In fact, now that she had stopped moving, everything throbbed. They needed to get up.

"Ben, we should go."

"Mhmm," he groaned.

Was he asleep? She couldn't really blame him.

Gently combing her fingers through his hair, grime and sweat adding an unpleasant texture, she pulled him from her. She needed his eyes.

"Let's go, okay?"

"Yeah."

She supported him as they made their way out. His life had been restored but his body was still broken. After only a few feet, she reached her hand out to his hip, offering to heal him.

"Ben, I can-"

"No."

Stubborn ass.

"Ben, your mother didn't bring you back so you could physically punish yourself because you think that'll help earn forgiveness."

His eyes grew wide and his surprised gasp seemed to shake through his core. His helmet had made it difficult to read him, obviously, but without it, his face was an open book to her. And through the bond, stabilizing with them so close together, _touching_ , she sensed his conflict.

"Ben, let me help you," she insisted again, commanding but not unkind.

She was tired. Tired of fighting, of her anger, of the lies and secrets, of the back and forth her soul had suffered. She was tired and right now, all she wanted was for them to get out of this wretched hell hole, together.

Her left hand caressed atop his heart and her right lay carefully on his hip. His hands were warm as they rested on her own.

Deep breaths. Together. In and out. In. Out. In. Out.

They could feel the Force flowing all around them, through them. The dark side of the Force was strong in this place, but they were stronger. Ancient hate filled whispers from long dead lips couldn't shatter such a truth. Yes, they were a dyad in the Force, a bonded pair unseen for generations, and the bond was _theirs_.

Ben and Rey, hand-in-hand, with lightsabers secured to her belt, walked away from the battlefield, the final battle.

The cloners were gone, blasted away by Ben when he stormed through to get to her. But the tanks containing the developing Snokes illuminated their path. He said nothing as he glared at the tanks. His fury was a living thing, bubbling to the surface.

"Ben, it's okay. He can't hurt you anymore. None of them can hurt you. And I won't let anything hurt you ever again," Rey promised.

Yet, as quickly as his disgust and resentment came, it was gone. A hint of a smile before he brought her knuckles to his lips for a gentle kiss. So simple but it took her breath away and a bright flush colored her cheeks.

"It's quiet. I don't hear them anymore. None of them. _They're finally gone_."

He kissed her hand once more before taking off, nearly ripping her arm off as they sprinted. Force healing was wondrous. They rushed past his fallen Knights and the broken statues, stopping once they reached the levitating platform. They held each other close as it rose.

"Hold on," Rey said, "did you actually run in there with only a blaster and no plan?"

"I had a plan."

"Really?"

"Yes."

The smug bastard. He was _smirking_.

"What was it?"

He gave a carefree shrug. 

"Get to you as fast as possible. Remove anyone who gets in my way."

"Han Solo would hatch a plan like that."

"Well...I _am_ the son of Han Solo."

She smiled, as did he. It wasn't ear to ear like before but a smile of recognition. Acceptance.

The platform reached it's peak and they made the trek back to their ships. The lightning had ended and the blue haze shrouding everything in darkness was lessening. 

"Oh no," Rey uttered, seeing their ships. Or rather, what was left of them. The destruction of the Final Order fleet scattered even more broken Star Destroyers across the galaxy and one of them had plummeted straight onto the X-Wing and TIE.

Before either could say _now what_ , the roar of the Millennium Falcon soared above them, landing at a slight angle due to debris.

She tightened her grasp on his trembling fingers. HIs whole body trembled, panic plagued his eyes.

"Ben. Ben, look at me. _Look at me_. It's okay, it's going to be okay. I promise. I promise you I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you."

She would chase away every doubt, every worry, every fear, every nightmare. She would help him bring back the heart and soul of Ben Solo.

He hugged her, his lips delicately brushing her temple.

" **REY!** What are you doing?"


	2. A Dyad in the Force Part II

They sat at the dejarik table, side by side, pinkies linked. Their heads rested back on the worn-out bench, angled toward each other.

"Ben?"

"Mmm?"

"Sorry, I know you're exhausted but I need you to keep your eyes open."

She kept seeing it, over and over, replaying the moment after he smiled. Every part of his face went slack before he slumped backwards, the only reason his head didn't smash to the ground was because she, unwittingly, helped him down.

It had been one of the worst moments of her short life. Barely 20 and already tired enough to leave everything behind and go far, far away, to the uncharted regions of the galaxy and disappear. Maybe that way she wouldn't be hurt anymore.

"I don't know if I can," he replied. "However, I've an idea that might put _you_ at ease."

The way in which he said _you_ confused her, as if she'd be the only one pleased by his plan but the others aboard the Falcon would not.

When they boarded, Lando had dissuaded Finn from saying anything, who stormed off in a huff, muttering under his breath. Jannah followed him. Lando gave them a pointed look before rejoining Chewbacca in the cockpit. Chewie hadn't come out.

Not wanting to push their luck, the pair went and sat at the table. Rey watched Ben as he quietly observed his father's ship. His eyes lingered on certain pieces and she wondered what memory corresponded. Eventually he leaned back and closed his eyes, sending her into a bit of a panic.

It was like watching him die again.

She knew it wasn't very Jedi of her but she was too selfish to merely accept that there was no death, there was only the Force.

She claimed to be _all_ the Jedi less than an hour ago. It seemed the best thing to say against Palpatine. Now, thinking back, while true in the moment, it was rather silly. 

The power she had wielded was immense though and she'd felt _everything_. Every pain, sorrow, joy, disappointment, satisfaction, hope, everything simultaneously. And their _knowledge_. The ways of the Jedi. Of the Force. All their lessons both taught and learned through the centuries. 

And through Anakin Skywalker -Darth Vader- the ways of the Sith.

No wonder she had died, the trauma too much.

Yet now, in _this_ moment, she couldn't recall any of it. All she desired was for Ben to look at her.

"What's your idea?" She asked.

Reaching down, he grasped her legs, his thumb caressing her calf as he drew them over his thighs. She wasn't _in_ his lap, but damn, she was close enough. One arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her towards him.

He was going to kiss her. _He was going to kiss her._

He didn't kiss her. Instead, he pressed his forehead to hers. His other hand rested her left atop his chest, his thumb tapping along with his heartbeat.

"How's this?" He inquired. His eyes were shut but the rhythm of his heartbeat comforted her.

Truthfully, a little awkward, her body twisted unnaturally. Shifting, she put herself in his lap.

"This is better. Am I too heavy?"

"N-no," he stuttered, his dark eyes wide with astonishment. 

_Finally_. Their bond _purred_ through the Force, gratified.

Clearly taken aback, he took a second to readjust his hold. Unfortunately, he shut his eyes and concentrated on his breathing.

_His heart's getting faster._

Allowing a satisfied smile to grace her lips, she closed her eyes too and matched his breathing.

Their bond _sang_.

Yes, she was pleased but if Finn saw them, his head might rupture.

Rey couldn't bring herself to care. This moment of joy was a rare thing. All her life, she had faced nothing but misfortune, heartache and broken dreams. Throughout her struggles on Jakku, hope sunk further and further down in her heart. In fact, _that_ morning, while she scrubbed and cleansed her meager haul, staring at the elderly woman across the table, she almost resigned herself to her fate.

She wasn't leaving Jakku. Her family wasn't coming back.

The goon who yelled at her kept the tears at bay. No one could afford tears on Jakku.

It wasn't until much later, after joining the Resistance and learning the ways of the Force, that she realized how grateful she was for saving BB8. She nearly gave up all hope that day and saving that little droid, in a way, saved herself. She knew it was much more complex than that but she wasn't interested in a philosophical debate of how peoples' actions and inactions, hers included, led her on her current path.

Too simplify, it was the will of the Force. Fate. Destiny.

_"Remember, a Jedi can feel the Force flowing through him."_

_"You mean it controls your actions?"_

_"Partially. But it also obeys your commands."_

"You're melancholic," he sensed.

"Pensive," she revised.

"About?"

"I wondered, every time the Force connected us, over this past year, I wondered _why_? _Why me_? I'm a nobody from nowhere. At least I thought I was," Rey replied.

_Don't cry. Don't cry._

"You are," Ben said. "Do you remember what I told you? Before you made the most ridiculous leap of faith I'd ever seen?"

She huffed an indignant breath.

" _Excuse me_ , Ben Solo, but how exactly did you get to me on Exegol? You certainly didn't float down."

He smirked at her, getting the rise he wanted. She huffed again.

"Do you remember, back on my ship?" He repeated.

_"Why would the Emperor come for me? Why would he want to kill a child? Tell me."_

_"Because he saw what you would become. You have such power. He claims you have his power. He claims you're his granddaughter. That you're a Palpatine."_

"You don't have his power." Ben brought her back to the present. "You have your own. When he told me that you were his granddaughter, I sensed he was lying. I stood before _Emperor Palpatine_ and all I saw was a cowardly old man still trying to win. I should have killed him then and there."

_"We'll kill him together and take the throne."_

"So I'm..." Rey couldn't catch her breath. Her eyes shone with unshed tears. Her plan to hid her face by burying it in his chest was ruined by gentle fingers under her chin.

"Your parents did try to protect you when they discovered you were being hunted. But you're not a Palpatine. You're Rey."

"I was so afraid, so angry, so sick to my stomach. He called me _grandchild_ , said we were _family_ ," she spat the word with venom. "I dreamed of my family for years, praying they'd return but I never envisioned.... But I'm not...?"

"You're not," Ben confirmed.

"Then why am I-"

"Because you are. You're strong in the Force because _you_ are."

She regarded him thoughtfully. A flutter in her stomach intrigued her, never feeling so _giddy? was that it?_ before. She didn't dislike it. Her cheeks grew warm.

She wanted to kiss him.

"You're blushing," he, _of course_ , had to say something. "You're beautiful when you blush."

Her cheeks were warm? No, her entire face was on fire, heat slowly spreading to the rest of her body.

" _Ben_."

She didn't miss how his eyes darkened and how his nostrils flared, which shouldn't have been as attractive as it was, but _damn_. He gathered her tighter to him.

" _Rey_."

"Alright lovebirds."

 _Shit_.

Rey attempted to scramble out of Ben's lap, like any young girl caught in the arms of her...what exactly were they?

"Now don't stand on my account," laughed Lando.

As if she could because Ben refused to release her, but did let her twist around to face Lando.

"You're blushing again," Ben whispered for her ears only.

Great. Just great. 

"We'll be landing soon. I suggest you two think of something to say to the others once we do." He looked directly at Ben. "And _you_ , little starfighter, we've much to discuss. And don't think Chewie doesn't have some words for you too."

Lando returned to the cockpit. The pair were quiet as they watched him go. Rey slid from Ben's lap, taking his hand.

"What do we tell them?"

"The truth."


	3. Rey Who?

Luke's old homestead surprised her. Ransacked of everything that wasn't painfully secured down, she expected that, but to find it half buried under coarse sand, dilapidating to dust? No squatters seeking shelter however temporary? Odd. Obviously the locals, particularly Jawas and Tusken Raiders, were more nomadic than the scavengers of Jakku. She knew _someone_ would've taken over her AT-AT not even two days after her departure.

 _Stars_ , how was that only a year ago? So much had occurred, more than she'd ever imagined probable. 

Rey abstained from taking too deep a breath. A mouth full of sand was a lesson not forgotten easily. Irritated with sand, for the rest of her days, Rey hoped to never set foot on another desert.

But she needed to do this. To let the past finally obtain peace. To let those who fought and fought and fought for what was good and right to finally rest.

This was the right course. It felt right. 

Delicately wrapping Luke and Leia's sabers in soft leather, she called upon the Force and propelled them down. Down down down. Deep beneath the sand, further than any scanner could detect.

_I pray that you are at peace. Wherever you are, I pray you are at peace._

When the kyber crystals housed in the lightsabers left only a faint pulse through the Force, Rey opened her eyes. An elderly woman, draped in sand worn clothes, with a pack animal, loaded down with goods, stared at her quizzically. 

"There's been no one for so long," the Elder informed her. "Who are you?"

"I'm Rey."

"Rey who?"

All her life she wanted to know, to have a family, an origin. A place in a story. A place of belonging. An answer to the simplest of questions.

But a _Palpatine_? The flesh and blood of the most terrifying and hated man in all the galaxy? _Never_. Even if such a horror were true, even if it was the reason for her power, she refused to accept it. Refused to _be_ it.

She looked over her shoulder, aware of their presence. Luke and Leia and....

Wait. What? _No_. He wasn't with them? How? She had been there, she had seen it, felt it, saw _him_ fade away out of her arms. How could he _not_ be with them? 

She opened her mouth, ready to scream and demand answers when a starship, sleek and silver, soared over their heads. 

Rey recognized it immediately. A J-type 327 Nubian, a completely chrome vessel, artfully and functionally designed, and reserved only for the _monarch of Naboo_. What was it doing here? And now?

The craft touched down parallel to the Falcon, the protective covering blinding in the dual suns, and making the light freighter look more lackluster than normal. 

"My, but this is rare," the Elder commented, shielding her eyes from the new ship's glare. "I remember seeing a ship like that here before, almost 30 years ago."

Rey's heart sank to her stomach, the elderly woman forgotten as she ran to the Royal Starship. BB-8 shrieked, rolling behind her.

The hatch _hissed_ open and the loading ramp settled gently onto the sand. A pair came into view as Rey slid to a stop. BB-8 scarcely avoided slamming into her legs. A young girl, dressed in robes the color of dark moss, her face obscured by the hood, stood beside a tall man. She handed him a large knapsack which he hoisted over his broad shoulders.

Rey vehemently pushed back fresh tears. She watched, unblinking, as the man gave a slight bow to the girl and marched down the ramp, directly to her. Was it possible? Could he really be...? But how?

It was. It was him. Stars above.

He sported dark trousers, and heavy boots, a black jacket cloaked his grey tunic, similar yet more casual than the armor he wore as Kylo Ren. A quick-draw holster encircled his right thigh, complete with blaster pistol. 

He looked like his father.

Except for the goatee and moustache. And his hair. Trio braids graced each side of his head, golden chains intertwined through his twisted locks. He was beautiful.

" _Rey_." 

Her gasp stuck in her throat and tears cascaded down her cheeks.

Ben Solo, very much alive, placed the knapsack in the sand, and held his arms open to her. She grasped him fiercely, her nails digging into the fabric of his jacket. His heartbeat thundered under her ear as she bawled into his tunic. 

"I'm sorry, Rey, forgive me." He swept gentle kisses over her forehead. "I wanted to stay, I did, but I wasn't strong enough. Forgive me." 

"You're real. You're _here_." Rey choked out the words. She ran her hands over every part of him, his braids, his jaw, his arms, his heart, everywhere she could reach within the circle of his embrace. "How are you here?"

"Have you ever heard of the Vergence Scatter?" He inquired, sprinkling more kisses across her cheeks.

"The World Between Worlds? It's real? Was that where you were? How is that possible?" She blubbered. She knew the Jedi texts expressed such a theory.

"I've so many stories to tell you, sweetheart." He smiled. 

" _Ben_."

He kissed her proper, long and deep and sweet. His pillowy lips elicited happy whimpers from her throat. His hands spanned her lower back and the width of her nape.

Neither cared for how long they stood there, holding each other tightly, and relishing in the shared warmth that outmatched the setting suns. Neither noticed the Nubian take off nor the old woman continue her trek. Neither also noticed the amused spirits of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa.

"You'll eventually need to let her breathe, Ben," Leia quipped.

Watery laughs rang from their throats, overwhelmed but joyful. 

"Did you know?" Rey asked her former masters. 

Luke only winked, a contented smile peaking through his beard. Leia beamed, radiating happiness. And hope.

"We'll be with you," the brother vowed.

"Always," the sister guaranteed.

The couple, with tearful smiles and aching hearts, watched the twins vanish, finally at peace.

"You felt it?" 

"Yes."

Ben grabbed the knapsack, slung it over his shoulder, and with his free hand, took Rey's right. Together they boarded the Millennium Falcon, with BB-8 bringing up the rear. Closing the hatch, Rey regarded Ben confidently stride to the cockpit. He paused at the doorway, taking in his father's ship.

"You've taken good care of her," Ben noted. "She's still a piece of junk, but she's in better shape than the last time I stood here."

" _Ben_!" Rey's incredulous laugh echoed through the main corridor.

He took the pilot's seat, the bag dropped in the chair behind, and began the take off sequence. His fingers danced over every switch and key, not missing a beat. 

"Ben?" Rey took the co-pilot's position. "How long were you in the World Between Worlds?"

"2 years."

" _What_?! _How_?!"

"I told you I've stories. I'll explain everything. But first," Ben pointed to the viewport, redirecting her attention to the stars. "Where do you want to go, Rey?"

"Everywhere. I want to explore this entire galaxy with you, Ben Solo."

"Let's go then."

They pledged with a kiss, and with hands entwined, Ben Solo, son of Han Solo and Leia Organa, grandson of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, and Rey of Jakku, _just Rey_ , activated the hyperdrive. 

She'd have her answer, one day. 

But for now, they soared through the stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dedicate chapter 3 to the **Bearded** Supreme Leader Kylo Ren that we were blessed with other night on SNL.
> 
> Also, chapter 3 doesn't connect with chapters 1 and 2.


	4. Hey Kid

**Ker Bif**

He stood freezing in his soaked clothing, listless and alone, watching the waves lash out harshly, flooding further and further into the wreckage of the second Death Star. His soul lashed out identically, tormented.

Han Solo. His father—dead, by his own hand. Luke Skywalker. His uncle—dead, using the last of his strength to keep Kylo Ren at bay. Leia Organa. His mother—dead, the strain of fighting and fighting and fighting for everyone else for all her life finally taking its toll.

Gone gone gone, just like everything else in his life.

And now Rey. But who was she...to him?

At first, a minor aggravation, a scavenger girl with information he needed. He'd take it from her and then dispose of her. Such was the fate for all prisoners of the First Order.

But she resisted him. Tapping into his head while he fruitlessly searched for the map within her own. His use of the Force undoubtedly awakening her innate ability.

_"You. You're afraid. That you will never be as strong as Darth Vader!"_

Then she became his enemy. 

Through his rage, he admitted his reluctant admiration, as she escaped custody and outwitted the whole base in her attempt for freedom. 

Then she'd seen him kill his father, seen his most grievous of failures.

_"You're a monster!"_

He'd seen only her in the snow, the traitor a mere obstacle, barely registering in his peripheral. 

Then his grandfather's lightsaber sailed straight for her, and a crack manifested in the very foundation of his being. 

Throughout their fight, he had the upperhand, despite the gushing wound in his side. She was terrified but determined. _Intriguing_. He was intrigued, fascinated by her. It's why he made the offer to teach her. Why he gave her the time to call upon the Force.

She'd beaten him, retreating shortly after scarring his face with caged animal savagery.

He wanted to follow her immediately. He wanted to hide and lick his wounds, emotional and physical, until he felt nothing. He wanted to take comfort in the embrace of the dark side, let it wash away his failures. But after their fight, the pull to the light grew stronger, more tempting than ever before.

He wanted to take comfort in the embrace of _her_ light.

Then, with each meeting through the Force, their bond intensifying with every encounter, she became _something else_. Something he never allowed himself to contemplate, knowing that any personal thought not in the interest of developing his dark side abilities, Snoke would pluck it from his mind and use it against him.

She became his...friend? No, more than that.

Then, when they touched hands...

_"You're not alone."_

_"Neither are you."_

He wanted to protect her, keep her safe from all the hurt and pain that no one protected him from. He wanted to hold her, feel the warmth that must radiate from her like a sun. He wanted to learn everything she was willing to share about herself. He wanted to confide in her in the same vein, whispering heartache and hopes he could only acknowledge through violence.

Then, she foolishly, impulsively, _stupidly_ , hand delivered herself to the First Order. What the actual hell had she been thinking?

He'd never known such dread. It took everything in him to not show it, to not snatch her out of that awful coffin and vanish to the Unknown Regions. 

He had a plan though. Partially. 

His attempts to ignore her during their ascension to Snoke's throne room were laughable. The mere breath of his name and _he was hers_.

_"Ben.... You'll turn. I'll help you."_

Stars, she believed in him, in the good, in the _light_ still dwelling in the very pit of his soul. The light she'd rekindled.

He wanted to kiss her in that elevator but the doors opened and he had to play the part. He hated kneeling there, submissive, dutiful, obedient apprentice, but he needed to wait for the right moment.

_"I know what I have to do."_

Then, when they fought back to back...

He thought she understood. They would stand together, _rule together_ , and bring peace and order to the galaxy. He'd let go of his past. Why couldn't she? Why had she clung so desperately to _them_?

Then, she became lost to him. The sound of the Falcon's door sealing shut, the _look_ on her face, the words they'd said, replayed over and over and over in his nightmares. 

Meeting sporadically over this past year, his desperation and desire deepened. They barely spoke, merely studying each other whenever the Force brought them together. The times they did talk, he provoked and she snapped. They could sense each other's conflicts, their souls shredding apart, close to giving up.

Then, with Palpatine's resurgence, and his offer of a new empire, everything changed.

With each encounter over these past few frantic hours, on Pasaana, on Kijimi and his Destroyer, and here on Ker Bif, he'd felt the dark side burgeoning, escalating within Rey. He wasn't sure what she'd witnessed when she found the Wayfinder but it rattled her. 

_"The dark side is in our nature. Surrender to it."_

__

__

_"Give it, to me."_

Stars, she was breathtaking.

She needed to see though, to understand that the only way to overthrow the Emperor and his precious Sith Fleet was _together_. _They_ were a dyad in the Force, _they_ had the power to finish this once and for all.

Then he heard his mother whisper his name and nothing mattered anymore.

Everything was gone. His father, his uncle, his mother, his....

His murderer. And his savior. 

_"I wanted to take your hand. Ben's hand."_

When had everything gone so _wrong_?

So he stood there, on the edge of a crumbling relic, lightsaber in hand, listless and alone.

"Hey kid."

Ben turned and stopped breathing.

His father stood before him, clear as day and somehow looking younger than the last time he saw him back on that awful day.

"You're just a memory."

"Your memory. Come home." _"We miss you."_

He couldn't breathe.

"It's too late."

"Ben...." His name, his true name, the name he tried so hard to purge, the name he wanted back. Tears formed, on the brink of falling. 

"I know what I have to do but I don't know if I have the strength to do it." _Will you help me? Help me. Please help me._

"You do."

"Dad...." His lips trembled, his whole body trembled.

"I know," his father replied, holding his son's cheek.

"Ben." Another voice, just to his left but he couldn't bare to look away from his father, knowing that if he did, he'd probably never see him again.

" _Ben_. Your mother is speaking to you."

Oh stars, he hated this. He turned his head, afraid.

His mother stood before him now, dressed elegantly in deep purples, her hair twisted up. A faint bluish haze ringed around her. 

It had been _so long_ since he'd seen her last.

Tears trekked down his cheeks. He watched her gently brush them away, just like she always did when he was a child. He couldn't feel the warmth of her hands though. He couldn't smell her perfume, one of the few luxuries she allowed herself during senatorial duties.

" _Mom_ ," He sobbed, shaking. "Mom, I'm sorry, I—" His words caught in his throat. What could he say?

"I love you Ben. And I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I let my fear control me. Blind me. I—" His mother paused, taking him in with kind, but sad eyes. "Forgive me."

Forgive _her_? But he—and she—and his father—and Rey—and his uncle—and Snoke—and he couldn't _breathe_ , his sobs choking him.

"Mom, I don't know what to do."

"Then let me help you. Let _us_ help."

His father gestured to his saber and all three rested their hands over the hilt, concentrating on the cracked kyber crystal housed within. No warmth came from their hands as they rested atop his, but he could feel their weight. They were solid and real. Impossible and yet... 

He closed his eyes and breathed. In and out. In. Out. In. Out.

Remembering. The bad moments and the good. The words spoken and silenced. The actions taken and halted. The devastating heartaches and simple joys.

Loneliness.  
Comfort.  
Sadness.  
Glee.  
Anguish.  
Peace.  
Frustration.  
Success.  
Anger.  
Love.  
Hate.  
Light.  
Dark.

 _Hope_.

Balance.

"The Force will be with you."

"Always."

Ben Solo ignited his saber and Kylo Ren dissolved into a nightmare of the past.

**Exegol**

" _Ow_."

Ben didn't bother with his saber to take down Palpatine's guards, a simple blaster more than sufficient. The Knights of Ren, however, were another matter. Relinquishing the blaster as they boldly surrounded him, he drew his saber, the gleaming light reflecting off the cavernous walls. He sensed their tumultuous anger, their incredulous displeasure. 

_Traitors_.

He wasn't sure which Knight got the drop on him and disarmed him, nearly taking his hand in the process, but he didn't care. Anguish, but not his own, filled his chest, suffocating him. _Rey_. He needed to get to her _now_. Yet without his lightsaber and his forsaken blaster essentially a club against six Force-sensitive opponents, his odds weren't good. 

Then—

There she was. Lightsaber at the ready, terrified but determined, with tears streaming down her cheeks. And there, the slightest of shifts in her eyes once she saw him. He gave her the slightest of nods.

 _Together_.

Their hands went behind their heads, ready to strike down their enemies.

Rey's hand came away empty.

Ben's hand came away with his grandfather's, his uncle's, his soulmate's lightsaber.

The Knights took a step back and he sensed their panicked bewilderment.

 _Ta-dah_.

One by one they fell, their former master a gutsy whirlwind in battle. The last Knight eliminated, he retrieved his own saber and ran for Rey. She'd finished off the other guards with ease. He disposed of the last one and their eyes met. Neither paid any attention to Palpatine as he took his place by her side.

"Stand together...die together!" The Emperor vowed. 

Their sabers flew from their hands, scattering to the ground below as Palpatine suspended the pair over his head. The bastard's laughter _grated_. Slammed to their knees, unable to resist, Ben and Rey felt their energy depleting as Palpatine siphoned the very lifeforce of their bond.

 _No...please_. He couldn't sense her. She was _right there_ and he couldn't sense her. Was he taking the Force from them? Was that even possible? They watched helplessly, powerlessly, as the Emperor restored himself, easily dismissing the now useless machinery. 

No. **No**. They wouldn't be defeated by this relic. They'd faced down monsters and horrors all their lives, some real and some imaginary, and always came out the victor. They would do so again, together.

Moving _hurt_ but he needed to make sure she was okay. He'd failed in so many things. He wouldn't fail her, not now, not at the most important of moments.

The galaxy was counting on them.

He reached his hand out to her as she rolled over, groaning in pain. She saw it and reached out to him. More, just a little more, almost there. The very tips of their fingers touched but it was enough.

_Ben._

_Rey._

_Together?_

_Yes._

They inhaled and exhaled, slowly, painfully, inconspicuously as possible.

 _Be with me. Be with me. Be with us. Be with **us**. **BE WITH US**_.

Voices _filled_ their heads, whispering, shouting, urging, sparking, galvanizing.

_These are your final steps. Rise, and take them.  
Ben. Rey.  
Rey. Ben.  
Rey. Ben._

They stood. With help. Ben looked over his shoulder with wide disbelieving eyes as his grandfather — _Anakin Skywalker_ —brought him to his feet. 

_Bring back the balance, as I did._

Rey looked over her own shoulder, unconsciously recognizing the faces from long ago stories, myths, and legends.

_You are not alone.  
Alone, never have you been.  
Every Jedi who ever lived, lives in you.  
The Force surrounds you.  
Let it guide you.  
As it guided us.  
Feel the Force flowing through you.  
Let it lift you._

Their hands reached out, calling forth their sabers. They stood surrounded, by friends, allies, masters and apprentices of the past, ready to fight for the future. 

_We stand behind you.  
Ben. Rey.  
Rise in the Force.  
In the heart of the Force, lies your strength.  
Rise.  
Rise.  
The Force will be with you.  
Always._

Blue and purple beams illuminated their faces.

Palpatine sneered, staring in horror at his very past, and the future, standing before him. Lightning erupted from his fingers.

Their three blades crossed, blocking the attack. They took a step, another, another, step after painful step. Their bodies ached, broken but still they advanced. The Jedi walked with them, Anakin next to Ben and Luke next to Rey.

Together, they would _all_ finish this.

The Emperor's agonized screams echoed throughout the chamber as his own lightning obliterated him. Ben and Rey soared back, crashing to the ground, sabers sailing from their hands. Neither moved. 

_Rise.  
Rise.  
Rise.  
Rise.  
RISE.  
RISE.  
RISE.  
RISE.  
**RISE**._

Ben jerked up, gasping for breath. His eyes found Rey lying lifelessly on her side. _No_. He desperately crawled to her, his left leg _wrecked_. The moment he swung her into his lap, arms tight around her torso, she started coughing.

 _Thank the stars_.

The Force brought them together, it wouldn't be so cruel to tear them apart once they'd finally found each other.

"Ben?" 

"Rey."

"What just happened?"

"We won."

**Naboo**

Ben's soul had never known such peace as this.

They stood where Ben's grandfather and grandmother secretly married, fingers laced together, observing the sunset as it painted the island of Varykino in brilliant reds, vivid oranges and luminous yellows. A warm breeze danced over the lake water, rustling the leaves that shaded their heads.

"Rey?" Ben whispered, hesitant to disturb their quiet comfort. He sensed her uneasy incredulity though. "What is it?"

"Did all of that really happen?" Rey asked, her eyes fixed on the shimmering water. "I'm afraid I'm going to wake up, back on Jakku, having dreamt all of this."

"It's real. All of it," he assured. "Shall I prove it?"

Taking her hands, Ben looped her arms around his neck and dropped his hands to snake around her hips in a gentle embrace. His eyes lingered on her face, taking in the curve of her cheeks, the pout of her lips, the arch of her brows, the hazel of her eyes. 

"Ben _NNN_!" 

The last of his name came out a shriek as his fingers dug into her sides, tickling her. Rey twisted in his embrace, pushing impassively against his chest, attempting to escape, somewhat. Ben pulled her solidly to him, her feet dangling, kicking out harmlessly as he set her down on the railing. She replaced her arms back over his shoulders, averse to tumbling backwards into the water. He held her steadfast though, his fingers dancing along her ribs.

Their laughter rang throughout the lake retreat. Rey couldn't remember laughing so hard in all her life. She'd no idea how ticklish she was. No one had ever tried. 

Eventually, mercifully, he stopped his torture and allowed her to regain her breath. His hands supported her, one at the back of her neck, the other at the base of her spine. Her eyes sparkled with mirth and her cheeks flushed with a delicate pink. Her hands caressed the sides of his face, legs tight around his hips, keeping him close. 

_Breathtaking_. Absolutely breathtaking.

She opened her mouth, ready to jocularly berate him. The beginning of his name hadn't even slipped past her lips when he slanted his own against her, hushing her protest with a passionate kiss, heartfelt and loving. 

"I don't know. I've dreamt of that before," Rey teased breathlessly. A guttural noise escaped his throat. "More persuasion might be necessary."

Oh. Stars above. Ben Solo had _dimples_. 

So he kissed her. And she kissed him. And they kissed and kissed and kissed until the sun vanished from the horizon, and the stars and moons of Naboo illuminated the water, spotlighting the couple.

Together at last and as they always would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this really got away from me, I mean, **damn**. I just meant to do the kyber crystal meditation change with his parents and then...honestly, I don't know.
> 
> I'm proud of this chapter. It might very well be my favorite one.


End file.
